Clementine Cream Sodas.
Let’s have a drink with our avocado toast!
At least that’s probably what I’m doing right now. Bringing basic well into 2016 and it tastes so good.
Gotta have something wonderful to sip on and this one is boozeless! It’s worth it, I promise.
This isn’t A cream soda, it’s just… cream soda. You know the bubbly, bottled version that tastes like wonderful vanilla frosting? I loved cream soda as a kid and then I feel like it disappeared for a million years.
But like everything else, it returned (boylan’s is our fave!) and a few summers ago I was loving it up once again.
Does that mean I’m a cool cream soda hipster? I mean, technically I liked it before it became trendy again.
So I made some! My own faux cream soda version with juice from a million clementines. Or like ten.
Ten clementines.
I adore the cuties, much like everyone else. Last year I made this chocolate covered orange shake with clementines. I’ve covered them in chocolate. I’ve put them in chicken skillets. I’ve eaten them by the ton.
You know, the usual things.
It goes a little something like this:
Make a lovely vanilla syrup.
Juice your citrus!
Lots of crushed ice. Must be crushed. Crushed is heaven.
Stir your syrup and juice, lots of spoonfuls to the mouth.
Top with seltzer!
Bubbly, sweet and citrusy. Exactly what I want right now.
Oh but WAIT.
This is exactly what I want right now, plus ice cream. A big scoop of vanilla (or lemon, I tried both and uh, don’t hate it) dropped into the homemade soda. It’s like creamsicle central, but homemade! And not in a 34-month old popsicle found in the back of your freezer in a January desperation sabotage attempt on your “lifestyle change.” I know you get me.
Clementine Cream Sodas
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup clementine juice, this was about 7 clementines, juiced, for me
- seltzer water, for topping (about 3 to 4 ounces per glass, or whatever you’d like!)
- vanilla ice cream, if you want a float!
Instructions
- Place the sugar, water and vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat. (Note: you can scrape the vanilla beans out or leave the pod whole – I leave it whole so they beans don’t get all throughout the syrup. Then use the pod for another drink, coffee or more syrup after!) Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and set it aside. Cool it to room temperature, then stir in the vanilla extract. You can store this sealed tight in the fridge for a week or so. You will have extra!
- To make the sodas, stir together 3 tablespoons of the vanilla syrup with 1/3 cup of the clementine juice in the bottom of a glass with crushed ice. Fill the glass with 3 to 4 ounces of seltzer and stir. Taste and add more orange and/or syrup if you wish. Serve!
- If you’d like to add ice cream, use a big glass. ;)
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
at least it’s packed with vitamin c?
42 Comments on “Clementine Cream Sodas.”
Adorable. Want to make these for my daughters birthday party. Clementines are the first thing to go at our house. SO popular with the kids. Booze-free is perfect, you know, when you have kids!! Obviously. Duh. This looks like a fun kid activity. Thanks peeps.
I loveeeeee this to the max. and I agree with your take on crushed ice. however I live in a tiny NYC shoebox and don’t have an icemaker! i guess i could take some ice cubes and blend them in my ninja!
i crush my ice in the vitamix!! i bet the ninja would work – i used to have one!
Looks delicious, especially with the ice cream! gotta have that citrus action during the winter months.
This sounds like a very fun and fancy Orange Julius! My grandpa used to be security guard at the old Uniontown PA mall, and when we would visit from Texas in the summer, we’d visit him on his shift and he’d take us for Orange Julius. Oh the memories.
love this story. i think my dad’s first job was at an orange julius, so many feel good stories around the Orange Julius!
I LOVE the colors in these photos – also, anything creamsicle-esque is my fave.
This just sounds wonderful. And dreamy. I might just have to sneak some cuties out of my 2 year olds stash to make this!
Ohh!! I am totally into citrus everything right now. I had orange vanilla oatmeal this morning, that is how obsessed I am. I’ve got to make this!
orange vanilla oatmeal?! details please!!
I’m definitely on board with this! Also discovered Polar Orange Vanilla seltzer, and I’m obsessed! I don’t know if it’s as widely distributed as LaCroix, but it tastes like a creamsicle and fools my brain into thinking I’m drinking soda. So good.
UGH. i am so jealous. we usually can’t find polar seltzer around here so i miss out on all those incredible flavors. i wish!
Cream soda really isn’t the same without ice cream. I’m so happy you put ice cream in yours. It looks refreshing and gorgeous.
This looks so good although, I haven’t actually had a cream soda since I was in elementary school. I loved them and then for some reason didn’t anymore (pretty sure I was served a diet one).
I was actually recently thinking that I’d love to try one again after catching the Boylan ones at my grocery store.
-E
boylan’s make the best soda! love their black cherry too.
Definitely went looking for a 34 month old popsicle in my freezer the other day in a moment of desperation, haha!
I FEEL YOU.
Where do you find vanilla beans? There is one store I know of near me that sells them but its only open in the summer!
my local grocery store carries them in the spice aisle! have you checked there? they are pricey but delicious. if you can’t find them, you can stir in (a little more) vanilla extract at the end!
WANT! Holy sweet heck, this is lovely!
Cream soda hipsters unite! This looks amazing :)
This NEEDS to happen on my next #tacotuesday night…or any taco night for that matter. YUM!!!
I’m making this the very first warm day that we have! So excited!
OMG I love clementines! This is such a cute idea.
My God, I want this immediately. I swear to you I legitimately got thirsty as soon as I saw the pic. And I love seltzer, too. .. Amen
(yes, that was a prayer)
it’s the best thirst quencher. :) thank you love!
I’m currently freezing so I might not make those right away but I most definitely keep the recipe x
http://jessicawoods.fr
I had to stop in my tracks a bit, because I thought that whole recipe was for two drinks and I was like “1 cup of sugar split between two drinks?!” My blood sugar rose just looking at that!
Doh. I then looked at the directions – ah, only 3 tablespoons of syrup – whew!
Looks delish. I actually was a Grape Nehi girl growing up, but you may be too young to remember that drink :D
bahahaha, sugar bomb drink! i haven’t heard of grape nehi?!
Aww I love this! Reminds me of my mom – she loves creamsicles!!
my mom also LOVES creamsicles!! i think it’s her favorite flavor.
I actually have all the ingredients at home, totally making this tomorrow! Also, I love all the citrus recipes you’ve been posting in the last couple of weeks (I’ve made them all and they’ve all been delicious). Winter citrus is my favorite, keep them coming!
thank you tara!!
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These are so cheery! Just what I need this time of year!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Love it! Our tree is loaded and our neighbor is begging us to take some from her tree. What a perfect treat. Thanks.
Cream soda is my jam. A few weeks ago, I had a Sprecher’s gourmet cream soda and I am certain you would love it. It was all toasty from being barrel aged. Amazing.
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Very good drink
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